First day of Kwanzaa celebrated in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Monday marks the beginning of Kwanzaa. The seven-day cultural holiday is celebrated with a feast of cultural expression, music, dance, and reflection.
Every night this week, the boathouses along the Schuylkill River will light up red, green, and yellow in honor of Kwanzaa. On the first day of Kwanzaa, the principle of Umoja or unity is celebrated by families across the Tri-state region.
As people begin celebrating Kwanzaa from Monday, Dec. 26 through to Jan. 1, Hakim's Bookstore in West Philly is helping them get into the spirit.
"We have an array of Kwanzaa books," Glenda Cook said. "We have the candles, the cup, the mat, the corn which represents each child in the family. You usually display it."
The seven-day pan-African holiday, Kwanzaa, meaning the first fruit in Swahili, was first celebrated in 1966.
Nina Ball from the African American Museum of Philadelphia says it was created by professor and activist Dr. Maulana Karenga.
"It really was a move to bring Black people together across the world and country to have a deeper-rooted love of who we are," Ball said.
It's rooted in seven principles each represented with a candle.
"Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, Imani," Ball said. "We're talking about faith, creativity, purpose, cooperative economics, coming together to do great things, and self-determination."
The holiday is growing in popularity. It's estimated that over 12 million Americans celebrate Kwanzaa each year.
Like Kalif Troy who introduced Kwanzaa to his family in 2015.
"I light the black candle on the first day…and think about the ancestors," Troy said. "And making sure my daughter knows the importance of that. We do a call and response. And try to get our community together. Have good food and have a good time."